on the broadcast tonight, let's make a deal. after partisan deadlock tonight, a breakthrough in congress over the payroll tax cut, and not a moment too soon for millions of americans. deadly day in iraq. days after the u.s. pulls out, a wave of attacks claims dozens of lives with no american troops around to help keep the peace. cash flow mitt romney says the barrage of attack ads pummelling newt gingrich are out of his control, but are they really? tonight we are on the money trail. swap and shop. in this sluggish economy, pawnshops are boom as bargain hunters go in search of gifts. and making a difference. the extraordinary thing one family did for another after seeing their story on our broadcast. seeing their story on our broadcast. "nightly news" begins now.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. while life in this country has gone on as it always seems to despite what's happening in washington, over the past few days the capitol has been consumed in gridlock over a payroll tax increase that was coming in the new year. it's the kind of grid lock we have seen a lot of lately, only this one ended a bit differently and it ended just tonight. the president today said enough is enough and he threw down to the republicans in the house. one thing led to another. phone calls were exchanged and then tonight the house speaker john boehner said, quote, we reached a deal. now the questions -- for how long? what does this mean? and how did they get there? nbc's kelly o'donnell has been covering it the whole way for us on capitol hill. kelly, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. well, they heard the frustration of of the people they represent and fed-up conservatives who

were seeing real political damage being done. so house republicans found a way to make a deal and still be able to claim they got something, too. we have learned that it's never really over until the voting but it looks like this storm has passed. the fight is over. this evening, speaker john boehner, bruised politically all week by the stalemate announced a delal. >> we will ask the house and senate to approve this by unanimous consent before christmas. middle class families and small businesses are struggling and they are making sacrifices. and i think this agreement will help our economy. >> reporter: this means 160 million american workers will keep the payroll tax break, and more than 2 million unemployed will get benefits for two additional months. >> we were here fighting for the right things. may not have been the politically smartest thing in the world, but i'm going to tell you what. i think our members waged a good

fight. >> reporter: house republicans had led an unexpected revolt since saturday demanding that a longer one-year extension be hammered out now, but the president held his ground and won the political message board. >> enough is enough. >> reporter: flanked by people who told the white house what that extra savings means to them. >> joseph from new jersey talked about how he would have to sacrifice the occasional pizza night with his daughters. >> reporter: the president boxed house republicans in by arguing that they should take the same deal most senate republicans accepted. and then both parties could work on a one-year extension. house republicans fought back saying that a two-month extension left too much uncertainty. >> what's happening right uh now is exactly why people just get so frustrated with washington. this is it. this is exactly why people get so frustrated with washington. >> reporter: pressure built when outside conservative voices and

prominent republican senators publically broke with boehner and the house gop, urging them to get this done fast. and house republicans can claim that they got a change that will make it easier for small businesses to deal with the bookkeeping associated with just a two-month payroll tax cut and they can also say remember the keystone oil pipeline project that was in this. hasn't been talked about much lately. they think that's about jobs. but they caution it's just two months so all of this could happen again in february. brian? >> oh, we get to do this all over again. kelly, thanks. an update tonight on our lead story from last evening. the new rules from the feds aimed at fatigue in the cockpit designed to get commercial airline pilots more rest between flights, especially. cargo pilots could be scheduled under the old work rules meaning less rest but today the union

that represents u.p.s. pilots asked a federal appeals court to apply the new get more rest rules to cargo pilots as well. the u.p.s. pilots called the inconsistent rules for flying people and packages remarkable in their words. overseas now to iraq. some of the worst violence that country has seen in months. dozens of people are dead tonight after 16 coordinated attacks across the city of baghdad today. at one point there were columns of smoke rising over the skyline. of course u.s. troops pulled out of there and lowered the flag just days ago now. they are no longer a component in patrolling the streets or keeping the peace. our chief foreign correspondent was with them. and richard engel, just back from there, is with us in the studio tonight. people saw these pictures, if they saw them today. we heard people on television saying the government is collapsing and there are americans who are going to be saying, "don't tell me this

means we are going to have to go back in" because it's going to fall apart. >> it is falling apart. the government is collapsing. the violence is starting. i don't think that means the u.s. troops are going back in. the u.s. troops left. they are handing it over to mawlaki. it's unlikely we are going back in even if it's a civil war which seems likely. >> we were talking from there. you spent a good percentage of your adult life living in iraq. how bad, in your worst fears, does this get now? >> this is going to get a lot worse. there was a civil war in iraq from 2006 to 2007. the surge happened. this was between sunnis and shiites. then the surge and the civil war stopped. now the u.s. troops are gone so the civil war is back again. i think it could get very ugly.

the shiites in the country who were never in power for is1,400 years are now in power. and the sunnis who ruled under saddam hussein feel they have no future in this country. they are fighting for survival. the sunnis carried out the bombings today nearly all in shiite districts. we are going to see more of this. >> by the way, welcome back. you're never back for long, but happy holidays. >> not this year, but thank you very much. >> reporter: tonight after a month-long investigation the u.s. military says miscommunications between american and pakistani forces led to nato air strikes that killed 24 pakistani soldiers along the afghan border, but the u.s. is not apologizing for the strikes and the complicated relationship between the two countries is now more strained than ever. that's saying a lot. we get details tonight from our pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. >> reporter: the u.s. combat forces were on a night mission

in a mountainous region along the pakistani border when they came under fierce attack. the americans and afghan soldiers came under heavy machine gun fire from a ridgeline inside pakistan. u.s. par planes fired off a barrage of flares, lighting up the valley and making it clear those were americans on the ground. but the attack raged on. assured there were no pakistani forces nearby, apache helicopters pounded them with cannons and rocket fire killing 24 pakistani soldiers. but how could this happen? a u.s. military investigation found miscommunications and a lack of coordination between u.s. and pakistani forces. and american commanders maps were nine miles off target. more disturbing the u.s. military gave the pakistanis imprecise information during the operation because the americans simply don't trust them. and that distrust and suspicion is mutual. >> they lose sight of the fact that they have very shared,

common interests in the region. and that's the target that they forget and they end up shooting at each other. >> reporter: distrust that threatens the u.s. war effort in afghanistan. >> we cannot operate effectively on the border or in other parts of our relationship without addressing the fundamental trust still lacking between us. >> reporter: not surprisingly the pakistanis reject the u.s. findings and regaining the trust seems more distant than ever. jim miklaszewski, nbc news, the pentagon. in this country on the gop campaign trail today mitt romney picked up an endorsement from george h.w. bush who called the massachusetts governor the best choice for the republican nomination. and in iowa and other early primary states as the air war continued today, more attention is being paid to the super pacs. it was a supreme court decision last year that paved the way for them. and they are having a big impact

on spending and what the voters are seeing right now. we get more tonight from our national correspondent michael isakoff. >> newt gingrich was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. >> reporter: and being damaged goods. >> more baggage than the airlines. >> reporter: mitt romney said he has nothing to do with the ads. they are part of a $3 million ad blitz in iowa backed by romney backers through an independent super pac called restore our future. how independent is it? here's romney earlier this week. >> i'm not allowed to communicate with a super pac in any way, shape or form. >> you're not coordinating it? >> my goodness, if we coordinate we go to the big house. >> reporter: last july, romney showed up at a restore our future fund-raiser and personally encouraged donors to give. charles spies is one of the political aides who run the super pac. >> he's spoken at fund-raising dinners.

we haven't had contact with him or his campaign in months. he's not involved in our messaging. >> reporter: later, romney clarified. >> candidates can help in fund-raising but they cannot communicate a course of advertising, what's in the content of the ads. >> reporter: gingrich says romney could stop the attack ads any time he wants to. >> these are his people running his ads, doing his dirty work while he pretends to be above it. >> reporter: a new pro gingrich super pac called winning our future is launching ads defending the former speaker's record. >> the choice, newt gingrich, the proven conservative leader. >> reporter: while the official campaigns can only accept up to $2,500 from a single donor, the super pacs -- thanks in part to a supreme court decision last year -- can raise unlimited amounts. reports show restore our future has collected $2.2 million from romney's former colleagues at the bain investment firm.

and $2 million from steven lund, a cosmetics executive and leader of the mormon church. >> this is about who has more billionaire friends to give to the super pacs. >> reporter: the gingrich super pac isba banking on help from a billionaire casino magnate who has contributed $7 million to the former speaker's political organization in recent years. nbc news, washington. >> there is late word tonight that john edwards is seeking to delay his criminal trial over alleged campaign finance violations because his legal team says he has been diagnosed with a medical condition that will make it difficult for him to attend. no word yet on the exact nature of the illness. well, the folks at aaa have the annual prediction for holiday travel. if your christmas includes a car trip you will have company.

83.6 million of us are projected to be on the road this is holiday season. that's up 2% from last year. big storm system pushing across the south in the ohio valley could produce tornadoes along with rain and snowshowers. still having sporty weather in the south tonight. in california, the problem is extremely high winds. the santa anas are up and at 'em again. gusts up to 80 miles per hour today in l.a. tipped over more than one 18-wheeler. and there is snow to contend with in colorado along with snowfall watches and advisories tonight for the entire state of new mexico again. when our broadcast continues tonight on a thursday evening, a sign of the times. with two shopping days it's the unusual place bargain hunters are buying gift this is year. then later, the kindness of strangers. the amazing thing one family did

for another after seeing our story. while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems,

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some folks have been surprised to learn lately that in this shopping crush of the year, in an overall lousy economy in this country, shoppers have driven past the mall and smartly driven into the parking lot of the local pawnshop in increasing numbers because, of course, to bargain hunters it's all the same to them. we get our report tonight from nbc's kerry sanders. >> reporter: in ft. lauderdale, the contellis family is trying to beat the black friday deals. this year in part because of the down economy, more americans like robert are doing their holiday shopping at pawnshops. >> something that you would spend hundreds for an item, makes sense to shop for a better deal. >> people who have never shopped here want to know is this stuff stolen? >> the fact of the matter is less than half a percent of our

items end up being stolen. >> man, that watch is so hot it's smoking. >> reporter: pawnshops blame the image on hollywood. >> on this episode of "pawn stars" -- >> reporter: now thanks to reality shows like "pawn stars" even in beverly hills are shopping for $300,000 diamonds -- half off. >> there used to be a stigma attached to shopping at a pawn store. that's no longer the case. >> reporter: in austin, texas, electrician larry scoggins pawned his tools. >> just getting a loan. >> reporter: what are you doing with it? >> i'll try to buy a gift for my mother with it. >> reporter: someone hands over a valuable. it's collateral for the loan. interest rates vary from 20% to more than 200%. which is why sometimes the owners never return. it's just too expensive to pay off the loan. so that collateral goes up for

sale. flat screen tvs like these -- us used, of course -- sell for as little as $60. >> they would be shopping in walmart and target. this year they are shopping here. >> reporter: ensuring even when money is tight the must have saddle under the tree come christmas morning. kerry sanders, nbc news, austin, texas. >> saddle up. when we come back, do you believe in miracles? one woman's incredible stroke of luck -- or was it skill? [ male announcer ] imagine facing the day with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide.

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[ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. as you watch this, please remember this woman never had a hockey stick in her hand before this moment. halftime at a hockey game in new york last weekend 59-year-old brenda hewlitt shooting for the chance to win a ford f-150. with a flick of the wrist frenchy's ford was out one pickup truck.

there's your lucky new owner of a ford f-150. our congratulations to brenda. here's a killer. if you remember the story of knut the orphaned polar bear cub look at siku who is being hand-raised but not for long. what a good polar bear. at the scandinavian wild life park. he's a month old. he was 3 pounds at birth and is now 7 pounds. can't you hear the kids? "please, can we keep him, we'll take care of him." and the people who say to empty the contents of your pockets do have christmas spirit. meet your t.s.a. holiday singers performing for unimpressed travellers at l.a.x. but in no small part because i and my family will be passing through in the next few days thanks for your holiday spirit. our nationwide round-up of

over the top christmas lights continues as we turn our sunglasses toward virginia. with thanks to al and esther thompson for what they call their annual tacky light tour. 170,000 lights, 150 home-made hand painted figures, we are guessing all of it visible from space. up next, what one family saw in our making a difference report that inspired them to pick up the phone, calling to help even before we were off the air:. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression,

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all this week here we are following up our making a difference reports, checking back in to see what's happened since our stories aired originally. well, tonight the heart-warming story of a family that had fallen on hard times like a lot of other folks, and the strangers who saw the story of their plight. they are not strangers anymore. nbc's chris jansing has tonight's making a difference report. >> reporter: to the unknowing eye the hidalgo family is doing something very ordinary -- decorating their christmas tree. the extraordinary thing about it is this will be their first real christmas in three years. >> they were waiting for the moment when we can finally have something that we really, you know, wanted for christmas like

every kid. >> reporter: when we first met the hidalgo's angel and anna lost their jobs. their florida home was in foreclosure and the strain was showing. >> i know there are a lot of people going through this. it's just really hard. >> reporter: in texas, another family saw their story and was deeply moved by gavi's tears. >> we just wanted to help a family that seemed so nice and kind and who were in circumstances that were beyond their control. >> reporter: through luck or fate, then financial services company had an office very near the hidalgo's. he arranged for his employees to help them with their job hunt. six weeks ago, angel started work as a property manager. >> i feel like i came back to life. you're doing what you are supposed to co. >> reporter: while their home is in foreclosure, with financial and legal help from john van they are working with the bank to keep it. anna calls it milagro -- a

miracle. back in texas, john van got something wonderful of his own. an emotional letter from gavi. >> i want to thank your family for seeing something in ours and showing there are still people in the world -- >> who still care about others. you have inspired me that there is still hope to do what you want. >> it brought tears to my eyes. it was unexpected. >> reporter: two families with a bond forged by an unbreakable belief in the american dream. >> they are now part of our family. >> people like him get involved in these situations. they are like angels. >> reporter: a connection across the miles that may just be the best gift of all. chris jansing, nbc news, dania beach, florida. >> another follow up tomorrow night. a great story of recovery from the gulf coast. before we go, thanks to my canadian friends for calling and e-mailing. i know there is no halftime in hockey. the shot you saw happened between periods. we regret the error.

sorry about that. that is the broadcast for the b second to last thursday in 2011. thanks for being with us. i'm brian williams. as always, we hope you can join us right back here tomorrow evening. us right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com